NFL Power Rankings: Oakland Raiders and Teams with a Chip on Their Shoulder

The 2011 NFL season is already seven weeks old, and there are teams that have an attitude that they are backed into a corner.

Whether the pressure actually existed or it’s a fabrication to ensure full effort from the players, the following teams are looking to have a good showing this week to ensure best placement for the playoff run.

Other teams on the list are trying to bounce back from subpar games or trying to make an example of a team for some previous trash talking, but either way these teams all have a chip on their shoulder.

Oakland Raiders—The Oakland Raiders have made one of the biggest trades of the last few seasons, but the newly acquired Carson Palmer may not be able to go for the silver and black.

With Kyle Boller under center, the Raiders will be looking to run the ball against a weak Kansas City team and send a message to the rest of the NFL that they are great without Palmer. With him, Super Bowl contenders?

San Diego Chargers—The San Diego Chargers and New York Jets battle this Sunday started days ago when Rex Ryan inadvertently threw the first grenade of the war with a verbal jab about how many rings he would’ve had with the Chargers.

Norv Turner jabbed back with a retort about Ryan’s lack of a ring collection, and now the players will have to write a check for their coaches. The Chargers will take great pride in shutting up Rex Ryan and protecting their coach.

Detroit Lions—After a loss to the San Francisco 49ers that saw their undefeated season destroyed and their head coach upstaged, the Detroit Lions will take out their frustrations on the Atlanta Falcons.

Not only does the Lions defense need to bring more of an effort against a tough Falcons offense, their own offense needs to return to the form they held through the first five games of the season.

Check back for more on the NFL world as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Football Page to get your fill of the NFL.

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Donny's Week 7 NFL Power Rankings
1. Green Bay Packers
2. New England Patriots
3. Detroit Lions
4. Buffalo Bills
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
6. New Orleans Saints
7. New York Jets
8. Oakland Raiders
9. San Diego Chargers
10. Baltimore Ravens
11. San Francisco 49ers
12. Houston Texans
13. Dallas Cowboys
14. Philadelphia Eagles
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Chicago Bears
17. Atlanta Falcons
18. Cincinnati Bengals
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Washington Redskins
21. New York Giants
22. St. Louis Rams
23. Cleveland Browns
24. Arizona Cardinals
25. Tennessee Titans
26. Denver Broncos
27. Indianapolis Colts
28. Miami Dolphins
29. Seattle Seahawks
30. Kansas City Chiefs
31. Minnesota Vikings
32. Jacksonville Jaguars